Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Quail Run Wildlife

Wesley Chapel, Florida @ Quail Run Rv Park (high 88, low 71)

The days have been hot and sticky, so we spend our days mostly inside except for early morning bike rides. We heard about a nice bike trail near the campground, so that is our new favorite place to ride.

We haven’t seen much wildlife on the trail, and I guess we need to get an earlier start.

We did see this handsome fellow though.

Evidently he sees a lot of people, because he went about his business, despite me snapping pictures of him. They usually move off it they see people.

He/she is a gopher tortoise. Look at that smile.

We are wearing helmets on our bike rides now, despite arguments from Al.

We are still trying to get chores completed. When we are in the Keys, we feel like we’re “on vacation” and when we’re in the mountains, we feel like we’re “on vacation” too, so we end up procrastinating until the projects mount up. Of course, we’re not killing ourselves. Between happy hour at 6 and nappy hour after lunch, we’re checking things off the list slowly. We work better under pressure!

Today and Friday we have to take Mom to some doctor appointments, so that pretty much shoots those days.

We had a dry spell for about a week with no afternoon showers, but they started up again the past few afternoons. We lost power twice yesterday and the sky looked pretty scary for a little while. Fortunately, the storm veered around us, so we didn’t get anything real severe. The local weatherman reported that there were 16,000+ bolts of lightning in the area during that storm. I’m not sure how they know that, but that’s a lot of lightning.

Florida is the lightning capitol of the world, and more people get struck by lightning here than anywhere else. It still amazes me how many people go outside when lightning is nearby. You can get struck by lightning if it’s within 14 miles of your location, and that is why you hear about people getting hit by lightning on a clear blue day. That happens frequently here in the Tampa area.

Do you have the Weatherbug app on your phone? Do you know the app has a “spark alert” that tells you how far the nearest lightning is from your location?

Do you go outside when lightning is nearby?

Two days ago a bolt of lightning struck an apartment complex nearby and started a huge fire. Unfortunately, its a common occurrence here in the bay area.

We saw a pretty double rainbow after the storm passed.

We have deer and turkey behind our site, but no otters or fox like we did last year.

There are two separate batches of young turkeys. Last night they were on our lot until they saw me come out with my camera and they flew off. I was surprised they could fly so young.

We just had a wicked t-storm here over the lake. It shakes the RV so hard things fall off the wall! It makes me nervous, being in this metal box on wheels when the lightening is visible across the water. Good idea wearing the helmet. Ours are in the basement, unworn since we've had bikes. We need to get them out and wear them!

Al looks real smart in his helmet. Love the double rainbows. I have a very healthy respect for lightning since being at an Herb Festival in Maryland in a park and it started to rain. Everyone went into the little chapel there. A lightning bolt came in the window and killed a man sitting on the steps up to the altar holding his son. It sent electric shocks into anyone who was sitting next to the wall. Very scary.

We've been having some horrible storms lately in our area. In fact, early Sunday morning a tornado touched down not far from our home. So ready for this weather to move on.No, I don't go outside when it is lightning!!